Macular degeneration is a commonly experienced disorder of the eyes and cause loss of central vision. Central vision is usually what you see when looking ahead. There is also peripheral vision which is what you see on the sides as you look straight ahead. Macular degeneration does not however cause total blindness because it has no effect on peripheral vision. When suffering from macular degeneration Washington DC residents ought to know facts about the disease.
There are two main types of the condition. There is the dry type which is the most common and affects 85 percent of people with the condition. It occurs because of yellow deposits which develop below the macular. In the end, this causes vision loss and retinal damage. The wet type affects less people, about 15 percent and occurs whenever abnormal blood vessels develop beneath the macular and retina. People with this condition will see dark spots in the center of their vision owing to bleeding of the vessels or leaking of fluids.
The disease is progressive, which means it gets worse over a period of time. You might fail to notice any vision problems at the early stages. At the same time, you might end up not noticing changes in vision when it affects both of your eyes at the same time. General symptoms include reduction on central vision, difficulty adapting to bright lights, blurriness and trouble recognizing faces.
The exact cause of the disease is not clear. There however are factors which will increase risk of one developing it. It is more likely to affect those who are above the age of 65, Caucasians, those who smoke and people who are overweight. Those with cardiovascular diseases are also at risk. For you to know whether you have it, it is important to go for annual checkup of the eyes. That should be even when you feel the eyes are normal. The doctor will ask about any vision changes you might be having.
There are various tests which can help to know whether you are suffering from the condition. The doctor might place into the eyes special eye drops which are used to dilate them. Thereafter, the back part can be checked for signs of fluid, yellow deposits or blood. Your central vision can also be checked using a test in which you are asked to look at a grid.
There is never really a cure for the condition but the doctor can recommend options for slowing it down. For those with dry macular degeneration, it is better to work with a low vision rehabilitation specialist. That specialist could teach you ways of adjusting and coping with loss of vision. There could also be surgery to improve vision, in which case there will be implanting of telescopic lens on the eyes. The lens magnifies field of vision.
In the case of the wet version, you also need to work with a vision specialist. In addition to that, there is medication that could be placed directly into the eyes to stop growth of blood any new blood vessels. It will take weeks before a difference can be seen.
There are ways to reduce risk of macular degeneration. That includes quitting smoking, eating healthy meals and getting plenty of exercises. It would be better to have the condition diagnosed early.
There are two main types of the condition. There is the dry type which is the most common and affects 85 percent of people with the condition. It occurs because of yellow deposits which develop below the macular. In the end, this causes vision loss and retinal damage. The wet type affects less people, about 15 percent and occurs whenever abnormal blood vessels develop beneath the macular and retina. People with this condition will see dark spots in the center of their vision owing to bleeding of the vessels or leaking of fluids.
The disease is progressive, which means it gets worse over a period of time. You might fail to notice any vision problems at the early stages. At the same time, you might end up not noticing changes in vision when it affects both of your eyes at the same time. General symptoms include reduction on central vision, difficulty adapting to bright lights, blurriness and trouble recognizing faces.
The exact cause of the disease is not clear. There however are factors which will increase risk of one developing it. It is more likely to affect those who are above the age of 65, Caucasians, those who smoke and people who are overweight. Those with cardiovascular diseases are also at risk. For you to know whether you have it, it is important to go for annual checkup of the eyes. That should be even when you feel the eyes are normal. The doctor will ask about any vision changes you might be having.
There are various tests which can help to know whether you are suffering from the condition. The doctor might place into the eyes special eye drops which are used to dilate them. Thereafter, the back part can be checked for signs of fluid, yellow deposits or blood. Your central vision can also be checked using a test in which you are asked to look at a grid.
There is never really a cure for the condition but the doctor can recommend options for slowing it down. For those with dry macular degeneration, it is better to work with a low vision rehabilitation specialist. That specialist could teach you ways of adjusting and coping with loss of vision. There could also be surgery to improve vision, in which case there will be implanting of telescopic lens on the eyes. The lens magnifies field of vision.
In the case of the wet version, you also need to work with a vision specialist. In addition to that, there is medication that could be placed directly into the eyes to stop growth of blood any new blood vessels. It will take weeks before a difference can be seen.
There are ways to reduce risk of macular degeneration. That includes quitting smoking, eating healthy meals and getting plenty of exercises. It would be better to have the condition diagnosed early.
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You can find details about the benefits you get when you consult a macular degeneration Washington DC specialist at http://www.bethesdaretina.com/services today.
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